Taxi Driver Online

I have not finished reading it yet but it seems to be an excellent piece of work in so far as it does dispel some of the hysterical myths put forward by some.

32, 123 words, yet the author remains anonymous.

Yes, Mr Anon, some people prefer to remain...err...anonymous!!

Maybe you should ask yourself why this is.

Then again, if this is your only counter-argument then perhaps it's obvious.

No it's not pointless saying it was prepared by working drivers, if it happens to be the truth. Do you think anyone outside of the trade would have that amount of info?

As for the backgrounds of those working drivers, well it really shouldn't matter, but they come from both sides of the trade. And they are (as it says on the tin) working drivers.



I look forward to your alternative views.



I disagree, treating one section of the trade as second classs, is as bad in Scotland, as it is in Sussex.



Again, I look forward to you telling the author(s) exactly where they are in error.



I never like Edinburgh anyway.

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IDFIMH

What you mean there isn't a Mr Taxi Driver Online?

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IDFIMH

Both taxi and PH, Mr Cabbie. All we want is equal treatment and a level playing field, if you think this represents a vested interest then fine.

The point about 'working drivers' was just to show that it was prepared by those involved in the trade, nothing else.



Anything that isn't objective fact is obviously qualified in this way, but to the extent that we all do the kind of thing you complain off then it's hardly unique.

The question is whose interpretation of the facts is the more credible.

Anyway, you don't quote specific examples, but please do so then they can be discussed in specific terms.



The point being made surely is that quantity controls are wrong in principle, so the national/local issue is irrelevant, but if you think they have merit in principle then obviously you're entitled to hold that opinion.



So which local knowledge is it that you think is relevant? And if you think the quotes are selective then what is selective about them? Please feel free to expand on the quotes on here, that is what the forum is for.

As for drivers supporting limitation, the paper does point out that some journeymen indeed do, but they are paying inflated rentals for the privilege - why they want to do this I don't know, perhaps one will tell us.

The quote was from CABforce, not Mr Taylor personally (although he may well have authored the piece) and I thought CABforce represented plate holders in the main and supported restricted numbers - I doubt if it represents anyone who would like to see restricted numbers ended.

If Mr Taylor supports restrictions then that's up to him, but I can't see why a jockey would object to 50 new taxis yet support 300 new drivers!

As a jockey it wouldn't worry me if a new college course meant fewer drivers, indeed I would welcome it. I drive my own vehicle, and don't hire jockeys, so to that extent I would welcome it as well as an owner.

"Sussex Man" wrote
Goot! Maybe ve haff enuff immigrants here anyvay!!

Well finally, after reading all of this report, I must admit it is first class.

I've often played devils advocate to put an alternate view on the Taxi trade but I have to hold my hands up to the Author of this report, it really is exceptional. I sincerely hope it gets the recognition it deserves, the time and effort that has obviously gone into producing it must have been immense.

From an unbiased point of view, I must admit it exposes the weakness of those Authorities such as my own who restrict numbers for whatever reason. If I was writing a report to expose the inequalities of a restrictive practice, I couldn't have done it any better.

Those of us who own licences in restricted areas know full well that there is only one issue that really concerns us and that is more competition. We equate more competition as longer hours for less money. I have never disputed that fact but it has never been my policy to deny another person the basic right of job security, for which owning his own Public hire vehicle may well bring.

I draw a clear distinction to what is morally wrong and what is justifiably right. I cannot justify excluding a person’s right to conduct a business on equal terms. Perhaps I’ve been in the game too long but its about time this issue of restricting numbers was settled once and for all.

Again, I say congratulations to the person or persons who wrote this report. It is one of the best I have ever had the pleasure to read.

Best wishes

John Davies

I second that John, superb

Taxi driver online wroteDoes equal treatment, in your opinion, mean totally equality as in specifying vehicle types which are acceptable to both PH & taxi operators AND equal knowledge tests for both sets of drivers? I have advocated driver equality for years, yet PH in Edinburgh are distinctly uninterested. If all drivers sit the same test, it removes, at a stroke the "us & "them" mentality so prevalent in many areas.
You heralded this report as the separating of fact from fiction, but here you admit it is only one interpretation of the accumulated "statistics" and views given.

But are they? Pubs are licensed on a similar basis. If the licensing authority feel that there are too many licensed premises within a certain area, they will refuse to license further premises - and that, without a survey of unmet demand.

As for Cabforce in Edinburgh, it is a drivers' organisation. Mr Taylor, the author of the report you quote, is himself a driver only. The organisation was founded because of a perceived lack of TRADE representation. The idea of drivers supporting quantity regulation may seem strange to you, but it is well supported here.
Single-shifted taxis reduce the supply of taxis at certain peak demand times, thus more double-shifted taxis help to reduce waiting times by their greater vailability time.
I am not explaining that very well, but I hope that you get the gist of what I mean!!!

The main reasom for bad feeling between taxi & PH in Edinburgh is the constant law breaking by the PH trade. They pick up off the street illegally, they enter bus gates illegally, they drive in bus lanes illegally. they tout for business illegally and the list goes on.........
Yes there are many who do act responsibly but there is large minority who do not and they are the one's who should be stripped of their licences.
Edinburgh Cabbie

Well there are obviously arguments in favour of a one-tier taxi system, and in some places that's effectively what exists - there is minimal PH provisions - look at the figures for Falkirk and Aberdeen in the paper.

But when you have the kind of different entry standards for the two sectors that you clearly have in Edinburgh then you obviously end up with a two-tiers system.

But the more important point is that if we must have two sectors then it should be open to anyone to join each sector on an equal basis, and this clearly isn't the case with restricted numbers.

It's more difficult to become a doctor than a nurse, but anyone who has the ability to enter either profession can do so if they want.

Maybe we don't need 'doctors' and 'nurses' in the trade, but it's not really directly related to restricting numbers.

Clearly there are facts and opinion in the paper, but the point is that some of the stuff being put forward in defence of restricted numbers amount to little more than myths, and the intention was to provide a more realistic presentation of the reality.

If you want to address specific points then please do so, but the three word title was merely intended to convey the ethos of the paper, it wasn't really intended as a debating point

If we are wrong with anything then please say so, that's what the forum is here for.

Well I disagree with controlling pub numbers as well.

In any case the pub numbers rationale seems to be about public order and suchlike, and I really can't see the comparison with taxis.

Can you think of any other numerically controlled businesses other than pubs and taxis?

I work in an area that has exactly the same standards for HC and PH drivers, and exactly the same standards for HC and PH vehicles.

It is open to the world and his wife to enter as a PH and HC driver, and open to those with tens of thousands of pounds to enter as a HC proprietor.

Doesn't seem too fair to me.

As for the PH, clearly you are more informed than I up there, but I would hope that many PH drivers would like some sort of knowledge. However I expect the PH circuits want as many drivers as they can, no matter what standard.

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IDFIMH

Not really, the paper states that some journeymen support restrictions, and this was repeated in response to your earlier post.

So Cabforce only represents drivers and not owner-drivers or what?

As I said earlier, I can't understand why jockeys would promote the views that CABforce do, but if they want to then that's their business.

Why would a jockey bother about the charges for transferring plates via the corporate license scheme, for example?

I doubt if jockeys who want a plate would join CABforce, so they clearly dont represent them.